Ready to automate! Set! Go! If it was…just…that…easy.
Many employers today find themselves caught somewhere between the promise of AI-powered automation and confusion about what artificial intelligence can actually deliver. They face pressure to adopt technology they don’t fully understand to improve efficiencies and lower costs, as well as scrutiny from workers who fear their jobs will be automated away.
In this environment, it’s important to cut through the noise and focus on practical AI solutions that solve everyday problems for businesses and their employees.
The most effective solutions are those that bring the best of human and digital talent together to enhance the work experience and drive business growth.
It’s called collaborative automation, and 2024 will be its breakout year.
Collaborative automation combines human talent and AI-powered tools to liberate employees from tedious, repetitive tasks so they can focus on fulfilling higher-value work. Think of it as human and digital workers working side by side, each focused on what they do best. Digital workers can take on soul-crushing, swivel-chair tasks that are prone to human error. They can reliably manage data entry tasks and new-hire processes such as background screenings and onboarding procedures, for example. They are fast and reliable, and they don’t burn out.
Research shows more than a third of workers report unmanageable workloads, struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance and plan to quit as a result. The toll this takes on business is obvious.
AI-powered automation can address this, but employers report obstacles to implementation. A third say they have poor access to automation tools, and those looking to develop solutions internally struggle to fill AI-related roles like machine learning engineers and data scientists.
So, how do you embrace people-first automation in 2024? Here are five practical steps.
1. Commission a self-assessment led by employees.
Introducing AI-powered automation can cause concern among employees. Often, that’s because they don’t feel consulted. Empower employees from the outset and involve them in identifying where automation could help the business while lifting the burden on their day-to-day responsibilities. Your self-assessment checklist should include questions like:
- Which repetitive tasks do employees enjoy least?
- How many hours are spent per week on those tasks?
- Could workers redirect time spent on repeatable tasks to other areas?
- Are there roles difficult to recruit for or retain because the work is mundane?
- How would automation positively impact our relationships with customers?
2. Explore feasibility with internal stakeholders and external partners.
Next, it’s time to liaise with your technical leaders and identify areas where you can maximize the impact of collaborative automation. Though not every task on your self-assessment can likely be automated to the extent employees want, you can design workflows that optimize human and digital worker capability. A workforce solutions partner with expertise in deploying digital workers and recruiting talent to do it in-house can help you implement these tools with minimal upfront investment.
3. Emphasize career development and work-life balance benefits.
It’s important to emphasize the long-term vision for how employees themselves will benefit from AI-powered collaborative automation. It gives talent the time and headspace to focus more on work that adds value. Whether that’s solving highly technical problems, learning a new skill the organization lacks or dedicating time to innovation, the opportunities are limitless. There’s a longer-term benefit to engaging in more meaningful tasks, too: employees who get more joy out of their roles are more likely to progress in their careers. Communicate that.
4. Organize an automation task force that guides policy.
As collaborative automation matures in your business, the needs of talent and the organization will evolve. It’s important every area of the business can be heard and drive decisions around AI and automation, from policy to process, long after these tools have been implemented. A cross-business task force gives organizations the confidence to lead on automation policy.
5. Commit to regular reviews of collaborative automation.
However effective collaborative automation proves to be within your organization, there will always be room for improvement. Getting detailed metrics on a range of measures will help your business make informed decisions that enhance both bottom-line performance and employee experience. Your review tool kit should include:
- Employee happiness and well-being surveys
- Customer satisfaction surveys
- Technical team reviews to monitor any increase in workload
- Data analytics (e.g. cycle time reduction, time saved)
It’s tough for any business to embark on its AI-powered automation journey alone. The good news is you don’t have to. Kelly offers a suite of solutions to guide you on the journey, whether it’s developing and deploying customized digital workers for you, or helping you find AI and automation talent to do it in-house.